This appeared at just the right time - when I seem to be the lone proponent of using open standards, open source, mix and match software stacks, etc. (basically anything outside of a monolithic, proprietary, commercial stack from the 900 lb GIS gorilla) on a State GIS Architecture Working Group. I feel like I have a little red dot persistently aimed at my forehead (and at least one or two on my back). This will be quite helpful.

Your GeoWebCache, for example: you only need such a thing because GeoServer considers HTTP to be only transport when doing its WxS thing. You could use something more generic from the open web stack like Varnish if your app server was taking full advantage of HTTP.